Dog Training Programs in Somerville — Flat Pricing, No Surprises
Every program is private, one-to-one, and taught in your home.
Puppy Training
Best for puppies 8 weeks to 6 months, and first-time owners
House training, crate confidence, socialization done safely, no jumping or nipping, and the leash foundation that stops reactivity before it starts. Get the first six months right and the next two years are easy.
Puppy training details
Adult Dog Obedience
Best for dogs who know “sit” indoors and ignore you outdoors
Recall that works at distance, loose-leash walking past distractions, heel, watch, drop-it, and impulse control. The program for adolescent dogs who have stopped listening.
Adult obedience details
Behavior Modification
Best for lunging, growling, resource guarding, biting, severe anxiety
Reactivity and aggression are almost always fear. Done wrong, behavior work makes them worse — most failures come from a misread of the cause, not a lack of effort. We assess what’s actually driving it before we touch the behavior.
Behavior modification detailsBase pricing shown. Custom equipment or additional needs occasionally adjust cost — uncommon, and always discussed upfront on your evaluation call before you commit to anything.
Our Philosophy
We train dogs in Somerville in a way that actually works.
At Good Dog Boston, we believe a dog should be a friend and a companion, not a chore. Whether you have a young pup, an older dog or a rescue, Good Dog Boston can help them learn how to behave appropriately at home and on-the-go.
You live on a street where three-deckers sit shoulder to shoulder, the sidewalks are narrow, and there is a dog behind what feels like every other door. Your dog does fine at home. It is the walk to Davis Square, or the pass on a tight sidewalk near Union, that turns into a wrestling match. That is not a broken dog. That is a normal dog in one of the densest, busiest neighborhoods in the state.
Good Dog Boston trains dogs in Somerville the way Somerville actually works: in your home and on your real streets, using reward-based methods and no aversives. We do not run a facility you drive to. We come to you, because the corner where your dog reacts is the corner where the training has to happen.
We understand that every dog is unique, and we tailor and adapt our services to ensure your success. Spanish-speaking trainers are available. Every engagement starts with a free evaluation call, so you know exactly what you are paying for before you commit.
Training that fits a dense neighborhood
Somerville packs more dogs into less space than almost anywhere around Boston, which raises the stakes on leash. Reactivity here is usually fear, not aggression, and the fix is not a firmer correction. It is distance, timing, and giving your dog something clear to do when a trigger appears. We build that with you, on foot, in the spots you use every day.
Where we practice in Somerville
- The Somerville Community Path — long, linear, and open, so you can work at a distance and close the gap only when your dog is ready.
- Trum Field & Nathan Tufts Park — open green with room to keep your dog under threshold instead of nose-to-nose.
- Powder House Park — quieter sightlines for early recall and settling work before the crowds.
- Assembly Row’s riverwalk — wide and predictable, good for calm passes with people and dogs in view.
- Union Square — busy plaza edges and quieter side streets, so you can step the difficulty up or down mid-walk.
Your own block counts too. If the hard part of your day is the stretch between your door and the coffee shop, that is where we train.
I would recommend Good Dog Boston to anyone! Our trainer Jeff was patient, kind, and extremely helpful when working with us and our dog Miley. Miley struggles with reactivity triggered by other dogs and living in downtown Boston makes avoiding other dogs nearly impossible. Jeff provided a tiered program which laid the ground work for Miley’s basic obedience and built up to working through her reactivity issues. We have already seen huge improvement in Miley’s behavior and all thanks goes to Good Dog Boston! Also shoutout to Jeff’s furry assistants: Danny, Halo, & Doctor for being the good-est boys and helping their friend Miley with her manners! Truly a 5 star experience!
We couldn’t be happier with our experience working with Jeff and his training program. We enrolled our labradoodle puppy in the puppy program at 5 months old, and it made a world of difference. Jeff helped us navigate and correct those early, unwanted puppy behaviors while building a solid foundation of training that’s stuck with our pup ever since. Jeff is not only incredibly knowledgeable, but he’s also clearly passionate about what he does. His approach is effective, thoughtful, and tailored—and the results speak for themselves. Our puppy is now a well-behaved city dog we’re proud to take anywhere. On top of that, Jeff is responsive, flexible, and genuinely a pleasure to work with.
We were having trouble training our adolescent spitz, who was quickly becoming quite reactive/aggressively territorial on regular walks around the neighborhood. We’re so grateful that we had the chance to work with Jeff at Good Dog Boston — though we’d read a handful of books and watched a few videos about how to work with reactive dogs, there’s nothing quite like having someone with a great deal of experience point out to you the specific tools to use and nuanced cues in your specific dog’s behavior to watch out for. Jeff was wonderful — worked with our busy schedules (and the weather), clearly excellent/fond of dogs, highly results-driven, and he gave us customized “homework” to do. Walking him is now pleasant instead of embarrassing and stressful.
Talk to a trainer — free, no obligation.
We train throughout Somerville — Davis, Union, Ball Square, Winter Hill, Assembly, East Somerville — and neighboring Cambridge, Medford, Arlington, and Greater Boston.
Tell us about your dog and we’ll tell you honestly whether we can help, which program fits, and what it costs. A trainer calls back within 24 hours.
Entrenadores hispanohablantes — también atendemos en español.